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Effects of Hydrophobicity of Diffusion Layer on the Electroreduction of Biomass Derivatives in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Reactors
Author(s) -
Chen Wei,
He Gaohong,
Ge Feilong,
Xiao Wu,
Benziger Jay,
Wu Xuemei
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201402302
Subject(s) - maleic acid , aqueous solution , electrolyte , chemistry , chemical engineering , butanone , diffusion , polymer , permeation , membrane , organic chemistry , inorganic chemistry , electrode , biochemistry , physics , solvent , engineering , copolymer , thermodynamics
For the first time, the hydrophobicity design of a diffusion layer based on the volatility of hydrogenation reactants in aqueous solutions is reported. The hydrophobicity of the diffusion layer greatly influences the hydrogenation performance of two model biomass derivatives, namely, butanone and maleic acid, in polymer electrolyte membrane reactors operated at atmospheric pressure. Hydrophobic carbon paper repels aqueous solutions, but highly volatile butanone can permeate in vapor form and achieve a high hydrogenation rate, whereas, for nonvolatile maleic acid, great mass transfer resistance prevents hydrogenation. With a hydrophilic stainless‐steel welded mesh diffusion layer, aqueous solutions of both butanone and maleic acid permeate in liquid form. Hydrogenation of maleic acid reaches a similar level as that of butanone. The maximum reaction rate is 340 nmol cm −2 s −1 for both hydrogenation systems and the current efficiency reaches 70 %. These results are better than those reported in the literature.